Sacramento State (12-12) dropped four of five games in the Louisville Slugger Invitational at Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State this past weekend. 

After sweeping the Capital Classic the weekend before, the Hornets followed it up with a 1-4 record on the road. They were outscored 28-21 on the weekend.

The Hornets failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities as they left 33 runners on base in five games over this past weekend. 

On a positive note, the Hornets showed a lot of patience in the batter’s box. 

“That was phenomenal,” head coach Lori Perez said. “I was so proud of our patience in the box. Granted, we made some mistakes on a few things, but we did. We were selective and aggressive at times when we needed to be, it was great.”

The University of Nebraska hits a walk-off homer to beat the Hornets 10-9

There was no shortage of offense between the Hornets and the University of Nebraska (15-7) on Friday as 19 total runs crossed home plate at the Anderson Family Field. 

Junior pitcher Marissa Bertuccio got the start, but she had a rough game, allowing ten runs, nine earned, and 13 hits in her second loss of the season. The Cornhuskers hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat the Hornets 10-9. 

Sophomore Lexie Webb was able to hit her ninth home run of the season. 

“I was just super happy to start off the rally to get it going and start off the game to just help out the team,” Webb said. It feels good to help out our pitchers and give them some runs so [they] can relax more out there when they’re pitching to help the team.”

Two Hornet homers are not enough as Cal State Fullerton wins 3-2

The Hornets dropped their second game in the Louisville Slugger Invitational as their bats went cold against Cal State Fullerton (15-11) on Friday at the Anderson Family Field. 

Webb (2-6) was the starter for the Hornets in the second game of a doubleheader, as she allowed just three runs, two earned, and nine hits for her fifth loss of the season. 

Webb struck out five Titans on the day as well, but a sloppy bottom of the sixth inning led to the Titans taking the lead, and eventually winning 3-2.

The Hornet’s drop back-to-back games against Boston University and Long Beach State

The Hornets’ offense started cold in a loss against Boston University (12-13) as they dropped the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at LBSU Softball Complex. Bertuccio got the start, allowing four runs and three earned in just over two innings of work. 

The Terriers were able to gain the lead in the top of the third inning on three hits and an error, which proved to be too much as the Hornets dropped their third straight game 6-4.

In the second game of a doubleheader, the Hornets suffered a 6-4 loss against Long Beach State (9-14). Webb got the start in the circle; she allowed six runs, two earned, and six hits on the day. Long Beach State’s offense was too much for the Hornets as they suffered their fourth straight loss. 

Hornets capitalize on Iowa State’s mistakes to win 3-2

The Hornets capitalized on Iowa State’s (15-9) mistakes to score three unearned runs on the day. They showed their patience at the plate by drawing six walks to keep the pressure on the Cyclone’s pitchers on Sunday at the Anderson Family Field. 

Bertuccio started the final game of the weekend where she earned her eighth win of the season with a complete game, allowing two earned runs and seven hits on the day. The Hornets were able to avoid being swept and snagged a 3-2 win against the Cyclones to end the Louisville Slugger Invitational.

“Marissa (Bertuccio) I thought did a really phenomenal job, especially today, making some adjustments on some mistakes she was making in the circle, she did a really good job of that,” Perez said.

Freshman shortstop Nikki Barboza had a great weekend as she was able to hit her first collegiate home run. She also collected five hits and six RBIs on the weekend. 

“I was thinking to touch every bag because I was jumping out of excitement and with (coach) Rios giving me a high-five, besides that, I think it was a sense of relief,” Barboza said. “That it was kind of a breakthrough, like a little tingly feeling throughout my whole body and hitting home, and then getting the tiara on your head, it’s just a moment of relief, and then the thought of, how many more can I hit.”

Webb also had a big weekend offensively as she connected on eight hits and two solo home runs this past weekend. Junior third baseman Lewa Day continued her hot streak as she had seven hits, three home runs, and four RBIs.

The Hornets will be back in action on Thursday at Shea Stadium in a doubleheader against the University of North Dakota at 1 p.m.